Total laundry treating system

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a total laundry treating system composed of laundry treating devices ( 20, 30, 40 ) as a set. A total laundry treating system includes a steam generator ( 10 ) in which a controller ( 11 ) is provided; a laundry treating apparatus that treats laundry ( 20, 30, 40 ), the laundry treating apparatus ( 20, 30, 40 ) in which a controller ( 21, 31, 41 ) is provided; a data transmitting part ( 60 ) for transmitting data between the controllers ( 11, 21, 31, 41 ); and a steam supply line ( 70 ) through which steam generated in the steam generator ( 10 ) is supplied to the laundry treating apparatus ( 20, 30, 40 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a total laundry treating system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a total laundry treating system composed of laundry treating devices as a set.

BACKGROUND ART

Laundry treating apparatuses are all kinds of appliances that are used in houses, Laundromats or dry cleaners' to treat clothes, cloth items, bedding and the like (hereinafter, laundry) such as washing, drying, removing wrinkles.

For example, laundry treating apparatuses include washers, dryers, laundry devices having washing and drying functions, refreshers, irons for removing or producing wrinkles of laundry and steamers for removing unnecessary wrinkles.

More specifically, the refreshers are appliances that performs drying, supplying aroma to laundry, prevents static electricity of laundry or removing winkles of laundry. These kinds of refreshers are consumed a lot in North America.

The steamers are appliances that supplies steam to laundry to remove wrinkles of laundry. The steamer may not allow a hot plate to contact with the laundry, different from the iron. As a result, the steamers are consumed a lot in here in Korea via home shopping channels.

Recently, washers having steam generators, especially, drum type washers have come into wide use. The products have become popular in recent years which supplies steam to laundry during washing or before/after washing, to maximize washing efficiency by using functions of sterilization, laundry soaking time reduction and detergent activation.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

As mentioned above, it is common that these kinds of laundry treating apparatuses are separately placed in places where laundry is treated.

That is, such laundry treating apparatuses happen to be scattered in space. Even though such laundry treating apparatuses are placed in one space, the laundry treating apparatuses have no interrelation with each other and a user has to spend quite a time in treating laundry.

It may not be preferred as a matter of space utility or laundry treating time efficiency and production cost that the steam used in laundry treating is generated in each of the laundry treating apparatuses.

In addition, if each of the laundry treating apparatuses has a water supply source for generating the steam, a user can feel inconvenient.

Technical Solution

To solve the problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a total laundry treating system composed of laundry treating devices as a set.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a total laundry treating system includes a steam generator in which at a controller is provided; a laundry treating apparatus for treating laundry, in which a controller is provided; a data transmitting part for transmitting data between the controllers; a steam supply line through which steam generated by the steam generator is supplied to the laundry treating apparatus.

Here, the laundry treating apparatus may include a washer for washing laundry, a washer having a drying function for washing and drying laundry, or a dryer for drying laundry. Also, the laundry treating apparatus may include a refresher or iron.

On the other hand, the laundry treating apparatus may be a plurality of various laundry treating apparatuses having separate laundry treating modules. That is, in one total laundry treating system, there are provided a plurality of washers, a dryer and a refresher, or a plurality of dryers, a washer and a refresher.

Commonly, such laundry treating apparatuses in houses may be configured to be different kinds of laundry treating apparatuses performing separate laundry treating modules. Here, the laundry treating module is modules for washing, drying and refreshing.

The data transmitting part may be a wire cable connected between the controllers, or a wireless communication device provided at each of the controllers to transmit the data among the controllers wirelessly.

Specifically, the controller of the steam generator is connected to the controllers of the laundry treating apparatuses by using a wire or wirelessly. As a result, the steam generator communicates with each of the laundry treating apparatuses.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a steam iron.

Here, the total laundry treating system is configured of a single steam generator and a plurality of laundry treating apparatuses. The capacity of the steam generator may be adjustable according to a case that steam is requested by all of the laundry treating apparatuses and a case that steam is requested by one of the laundry treating apparatuses. This is because user inconvenience and energy saving caused by insufficient steam supply or time delay of steam supply may be accomplished.

On the other hand, the total laundry treating system may further include a hot air generator in which a controller is provided; a data transmitting part for transmitting data between the controller of the hot air generator and the controller of the laundry treating apparatus; and an hot air supply line through which the hot air generated by the hot air generator is supplied to the laundry treating apparatus.

The total laundry treating system may further include a hot air collect line through which hot air exhausted from the laundry treating apparatus is collected. The hot air generator may include a condenser in which the hot air collected through the hot air collect line is condensed.

That is, it is possible to embody an air condensation type drying function in that hot air is not exhausted outside but circulated and to embody an air exhaustion type drying function in that hot air is exhausted by each of the laundry treating apparatuses separately.

In the total laundry treating system including the hot air generator, the steam generator and the hot air generator are controlled by one controller, and the steam generator and the hot air generator may be formed as one body, which are efficient as a matter of production cost. In addition, there is an effect of a simple structure, because an auxiliary data transmitting part for sharing the hot air generator does not have to be provided other than the data transmitting part for sharing the steam generator.

At least one of the laundry treating apparatuses has a different laundry treating module.

Advantageous Effects

The present invention has following advantageous effects.

Each of the laundry treating apparatuses is inter-relative and thus a convenient total laundry treating system may be provided. That is, the total laundry treating system according to the present invention is efficient and convenient in a view of space or a laundry treating time.

Furthermore, according to the present invention there are provided the plurality of the laundry treating apparatuses that uses steam, respectively, and the steam the total laundry treating system having the steam generator for supplying steam to each of the laundry treating apparatuses. As a result, the present invention has an advantageous effect that a series of laundry treating processes may be performed conveniently.

A still further, the steam generator able to adjust the amount of steam supply is provided in the total laundry treating system according to the present invention. As a result, efficient steam supply is possible and energy saving is possible.

A still further, according to the present invention, steam is supplied to the plurality of the laundry treating apparatuses through the single steam generator. As a result, a user may easily secure a water source for steam generation.

A still further, the hot air generator for supply air, especially, hot air as well as the steam generator is provided in each of the laundry treating apparatuses. As a result, the laundry treating process may be performed convenient.

Lastly, the total laundry treating system may be embodied by using conventional washers having the steam generators or dryers having the hot air generators.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a steam generator provided in the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the specific embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

In reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, preferred embodiments of the present invention will explained.

FIG. 1 is a block view illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention. Next, the first embodiment will be explained.

A total laundry treating system 100 according to the first embodiment may include a steam generator 10 and a plurality of laundry treating apparatuses 20, 30 and 40. Here, the laundry treating apparatuses may be appliances that have the same laundry treating module, or may be appliances that have different laundry treating modules, respectively.

FIG. 1 illustrates a washer 2Q a dryer 30 and a refresher 40 as laundry treating apparatuses. Of course, these laundry treating apparatuses may be different kinds of laundry treating apparatuses and may include more laundry treating apparatuses.

Meanwhile, the present specification may not explain functions and structures of individual laundry treating apparatuses in detail, because the functions and the structures are well-known knowledge to those skilled in the art and the present invention is not limited to the detailed functions or structures. Accordingly, the technical subject matter of the present invention may pertain to any kinds of laundry treating apparatuses applied to the present invention.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, a total laundry treating system including the washer 20, the dryer 30 and the refresher 40 as the plurality of the laundry treating apparatuses will be explained.

Steam may be supplied to the washer 20, the dryer 30 and the refresher 40 to improve washing efficiency, remove wrinkles, prevent static electricity, perform sterilization or remove bad smell of laundry. Such method of supplying steam and steam supply timing may be controlled by a controller of each of the laundry treating apparatuses.

Specifically, a controller 21 is provided in the washer 20 and another controller 31 is provided in the dryer 30 and a further controller 41 is provided in the refresher 40. Thus, each of the laundry treating apparatuses performs a separate laundry treating module thrash each of the controllers 21, 31 and 41.

In the meantime, the total laundry treating system according to the present invention further includes a steam generator 10. The steam generator 10 includes a controller 11 for controlling an operation of the steam generator 10.

Here, each of the laundry treating apparatuses is supplied steam by the steam generator 10. For example, when the washer 20 needs steam, the washer 20 sends a steam request signal to the steam generator 10 and the steam generator 10 generates steam according to the steam request to supply steam to the washer 20.

For that, data transmission for control between the steam generator 10 and the laundry treating apparatuses is necessary. Thus, a data transmitting part 70 is further provided to transmit data between the controller 11 of the steam generator 10 and the controllers 21, 31 and 41 of the laundry treating apparatuses.

For example, if steam is needed during the operation of the washer 20, the controller 21 of the washer 20 sends a steam request signal to the controller 11 of the steam generator 10 through the data transmitting part 70. The controller 11 of the steam generator 10 controls an operation of the steam generator to generate steam based on the steam request and the steam is supplied to the washer 20.

Alternatively, the controller 21 of the washer 20 sends a present operational data to the steam generator during the operation of the washer 20 and the controller 11 of the steam generator 10 supplies steam at an appropriate time period based on the operational data.

Such control logic may be applicable to the dryer 31 or the refresher 40.

By the way, the data transmitting part 70 may be a cable connected between the controllers, or the data transmitting part 50 may include a wireless communication device (not shown) provided in the controller 11 of the steam generator 10 and a wireless communication device (not shown) provided in the other controllers 21, 31 and 41 of the laundry treating apparatuses. At this time, data may be sent and received wirelessly.

The wire/wireless data transmitting is well-known knowledge to those skilled in the art and easy for them to expect. Therefore, the detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

The present invention includes the steam supply line 60 through which the steam generated by the steam generator 10 is supplied to the laundry treating apparatuses. The steam supply line 60 may be formed between the steam generator 10 and each of the laundry treating apparatuses.

As shown in FIG. 1, the steam supply line 60 may include a main steam supply pipe 61, a header 65 and branched steam pipes 62, 63 and 64. The main steam supply pipe 61 is connected to an outlet (not shown) of the steam generator 10. The header 61 is employed for allowing a steam flow branched. The branched steam pipes 62, 63 and 64 are branched from the header 65 such that each branched steam pipe is branched to each of the laundry treating apparatuses. The branched steam pipes 62, 63 and 64 are connected to an inlet (not shown) of each laundry treating apparatus and steam is supplied to the laundry treating apparatuses through the branched steam pipes 62 and 63.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, a valve may be provided at the main steam supply pipe 61, the header 65, the branched steam pipes 62, 63 and 64, the cutlet of the steam generator 10 or the inlets of the laundry treating apparatuses to be selectively opened and closed. Controlling the valve enables the steam to be supplied to the laundry treating apparatus that needs the steam.

Next, in reference to FIG. 2, another embodiment will be explained. FIG. 2 is a block view illustrating another embodiment.

A total laundry treating system according to this embodiment further includes a hot air generator. Specifically, according to this embodiment the laundry treating apparatuses share the hot air generator 180 as well as the steam generator 10, while according to above embodiments the laundry treating apparatuses share only the steam generator 10.

According to this embodiment, the total laundry treating system explained in the above embodiment farter includes a hot air generator 180, a data transmitting part 170 and a hot air supply line 190. The hot air generator 180 includes a controller. The data transmitting part 170 transmits data between the controller of the hot air generator 180 and the other controllers 121, 131 and 141 of the laundry treating apparatuses. Hot air generated at the hot air generator is supplied to the laundry treating apparatuses through the hot air supply line 190.

The hot air generator 180 is provided in parallel to the steam generator 110 and the hot air is supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatuses from the hot air generator 180. Here, the hot air may not necessarily means hot temperature air. That is, the hot air may be normal temperature air which is relatively less high temperature air, too.

Such normal temperature air and hot air is forcibly supplied to the laundry for a drying or refreshing function.

Although not shown in FIG. 2, the hot air generator also includes a controller (not shown), separate from the steam generator 110. In this case, the controller of the hot air generator 180 is connected to each of the laundry treating apparatuses through the data transmitting part, separate from the controller of the steam generator explained in the above embodiment.

It is preferable that the hot air supply line 190 is provided through which the hot air is supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatus 129, 130 and 140. That is, it is preferable that the hot air supply line 190 is separately provided from the steam supply line 160 .

However, the hot air supply line 190 and the steam supply line 160 may share lines except for the steam generator and an cutlet (not shown) of the hot air generator, which is not preferable, considering a characteristic of fluidal material flowing within the lines. Moreover, in this case, it is difficult to supply the steam and the hot air at the same time. Thus, the steam and the hot air should be supplied selectively.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. According to FIG. 2, the steam generator 110 and the hot air generator 180 are formed as one body.

Specifically, the steam generator and the hot air generator are not provided in an independent space but formed as one body. At this time, the controller of the hot air generator and the controller of the steam generator may be united as one controller 111.

As a result, the controller 111 controls the steam generator to operate as necessary and controls the hot air generator to operate separately at the same time. In this case, only the controller 111 is connected to the controllers of the laundry treating apparatuses.

By the way, the detailed explanation of the steam supply line 160 as well that of the hot air supply line 190 has been described in the above embodiment and it will be omitted. In addition, the control method for opening and closing the lines 160 and 190 is the same as the control method according to the above embodiment and it will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the washer includes a controller 121 and the dryer 130 includes a controller 131 and the refresher 140 includes a controller 141. Each of theses laundry treating apparatuses may have a separately different laundry treating module or a plurality of identical laundry treating modules if necessary.

On the other hand, a hot air circulation method by the hot air generator provided in a predetermined laundry treating apparatus may be an air exhaustion type or air condensation type.

Specifically, in case of the air exhaustion type, the air supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatuses through the hot supply line 70 is not circulated into the hot air generator 80, but exhausted outside. That is, the air is exhausted to an outside or an inside through an air outlet of each laundry treating apparatus, which is identical to an air passage of the air exhaustion type.

In case of the air condensation type, the air supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatuses through the hot air supply line 70 is re-circulated to the hot air generator 80. For that, an auxiliary hot air collect line (not shown) may be provided.

That is, when the air is supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatuses through the hot air supply line 70, the air gets to contain moisture in the laundry treating apparatuses and the damp air is collected through the hot air collect line (not shown). Here, the moisture of the air may be removed before the collected air is re-supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatuses.

As a result, in case of the condensation type, a condenser (not shown) may be further provided to condense the moisture of the air. The moisture of the air is condensed in the condenser and the air having its moisture removed is supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatuses through the hot air supply line 70.

The condenser may be formed as one body with the hot air generator. That is, it is preferable that the steam generator, the hot air generator and the condenser are formed as one body to define a single exterior.

The structure of such condensation type is applicable to a case in that an air cutlet is difficult to form at laundry devices in houses or dry cleaners'. That is, it is easy to install the air exhaustion type in a room near an external wall of a building and it is easy to install the air condensation type in a room near a center area of a building, because complicated air outlet pipes are difficult to install in the room near the center area of the building.

Next, in reference to FIG. 3, a steam generator applicable to the present invention will be explained. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the steam generator.

The total laundry treating system according to the present invention may include one steam generator 500. However, the amount of steam supply supplied to the steam generator may be variable, because each of the laundry treating apparatuses requires steam simultaneously or one of them requires steam.

As a result, the amount of steam generation or steam supply may be variable based on demands of steam. That is preferable for energy saving or for time reduction of steam supply.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the steam generator that is such a capacity variable type.

As shown in FIG. 3, the steam generator 500 includes a controller 510 and a plurality of chambers 520, 521 and 522 the chambers. The chambers may have separate volumes and the heaters 530, 531 and 532 are mounted in the chambers 520, 521 and 522, respectively. Of course, these heaters 530, 531 and 532 may have separate capacities.

FIG. 3 illustrates a chamber 520 having a relatively large volume and a heater 530 having a relatively large volume, and chambers 521 and 522 having relatively small volumes and heaters 531 and 532 having relatively small capacities.

For example, if the amount of requested steam is most, all the heaters are operated to generate steam. If the amount of requested is least, one of the heaters having the small capacity is operated to generate steam. As a result, the amount of steam generation and supply may be adjustable based on the amount of requested steam.

The operation of the heaters 530, 531 and 532 is controlled by a controller of the laundry treating apparatus having the steam generator 500 therein. The controller receives data for the amount of requested steam from the controllers of the laundry treating apparatuses.

On the other hand, a steam outlet (not shown) is formed at each of the chambers 520, 521 and 522. Steam discharged through the steam cutlets is supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatuses through the steam supply line 560.

Such method of steam amount adjustment may be embodied in a different way. For example, the amount of water supplied to the steam generator may be controlled by the controller based on the amount of requested steam. Hence, the heating amount of the heater may be controlled or the number of the operated heaters may be controlled.

Specifically, if the steam amount is most in the steam generator having one chamber and the plurality of the heaters are provided therein, the largest mount of water may be supplied to the steam generator and all of the heaters may be operated. If the steam amount is least, the least amount of water may be supplied to the steam generator and only a predetermined heater may be operated.

If only one heater is provided, the heating amount of the heater is controlled based on the amount of requested steam to adjust the steam amount to adjust the steam amount.

Water should be supplied to the steam generator described above. A scarce of such water supply may be a common water pipe or a user may directly supply water to the steam generator.

A water pipe as a water source is not provided in every house and is commonly, for example, only in a kitchen or bathroom.

In addition even such places as a kitchen or bathroom have limited water taps and washers that use a lot of water are connected to the water taps.

As a result, lack of water source can be prevented because only one steam generator may be used according to the present invention.

In the meantime, if there is no such water source, a user may directly supply water to the steam generator by using a water basket. In this case, even when water is supplied to only one steam generator provided in the predetermined one of the laundry treating apparatuses, the water may be supplied to the other laundry treating apparatuses and thus there is an effect of minimized fatigue to the user.

Next, in reference to FIG. 1, an operation of the total laundry treating system according to the present invention will be explained. An operation according to other embodiment can be easily understood through the following explanation and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

Firstly, each of the laundry treating apparatuses may be operated separately. That is, the water performs washing, the dryer performs drying and the refresher performs refreshing. When steam is requested during an operation of each laundry treating apparatus, each of the controllers transmits a signal for steam request to the controller of the predetermined laundry treating apparatus having the steam generator.

Hence, the steam generator operates the heater to generate steam. The controller may controls the water amount for steam generation, the heating capacity of the heater or the number of the operated heaters. That is, the steam generation and steam supply amount may be adjustable based on the amount of requested steam.

The steam is supplied to each of the laundry treating apparatus.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the steam generator does not have to be provided in each of the laundry treating apparatuses and the present invention is advantageous as a matter of cost. In addition, it is limited that the efficient steam generator is mounted in each of the laundry treating apparatus. Such problematic limitation may be solved by the present invention in which the steam generator is provided in the predetermined laundry treating apparatuses.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention has an industrial applicability.

Each of the laundry treating apparatuses is inter-relative and thus a convenient total laundry treating system may be provided. That is, the total laundry treating system according to the present invention is efficient and convenient in a view of space or a laundry treating time.

Furthermore, according to the present invention there are provided the plurality of the laundry treating apparatuses that uses steam, respectively, and the steam the total laundry treating system having the steam generator for supplying steam to each of the laundry treating apparatuses. As a result, the present invention has an industrial applicability that a series of laundry treating processes may be performed conveniently.

A still further, the steam generator able to adjust the amount of steam supply is provided in the total laundry treating system according to the present invention. As a result, efficient steam supply is possible and energy saving is possible.

A still further, according to the present invention, steam is supplied to the plurality of the laundry treating apparatuses through the single steam generator. As a result, a user may easily secure a water source for steam generation.

A still further, the hot air generator for supply air, especially, hot air as well as the steam generator is provided in each of the laundry treating apparatuses. As a result, the laundry treating process may be performed convenient

Lastly, the total laundry treating system may be embodied by using conventional washers having the steam generators or dryers having the hot air generators. 

1. A total laundry treating system comprising: a steam generator in which a controller is provided; a laundry treating apparatus that treats laundry, the laundry treating apparatus in which a controller is provided; a data transmitting part for transmitting data between the controllers; and a steam supply line through which steam generated in the steam generator is supplied to the laundry treating apparatus.
 2. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the total laundry treating system is configured of a single steam generator and a plurality of the laundry treating apparatuses.
 3. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the laundry treating apparatuses includes a different laundry treating module.
 4. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laundry treating apparatus comprises a washer for washing laundry or a washer having a drying function for washing and drying the laundry.
 5. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laundry treating apparatus comprises a dryer for drying the laundry.
 6. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laundry treating apparatus comprises a refresher for refreshing the laundry.
 7. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laundry treating apparatus comprise a steam iron.
 8. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transmitting part is configured to be a wire cable connected between the controllers, or a wireless communication device provided at each of the controllers to transmit the data between the controllers wirelessly.
 9. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a hot air generator in which a controller is provided; a data transmitting part for transmitting data between the controller of the hot air generator and the controller of the laundry treating apparatus; and a hot air supply line through which hot air generated in the hot air generator is supplied to the laundry treating apparatus.
 10. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a hot air collect line through which the hot air discharged from the laundry treating apparatus is collected, wherein the hot air generator comprises a condenser that condenses moisture contained in the hot air collected through the hot air collect line.
 11. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the steam generator and the hot air generator are controlled by a single controller and are formed as one body.
 12. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the total laundry treating system is configured of a single steam/hot air generator and a plurality of laundry treating apparatuses.
 13. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one of the laundry treating apparatuses includes a different laundry treating module.
 14. The total laundry treating system as claimed in claim 1, the steam generator is configured to be a capacity adjustable-type steam generator that adjusts a steam amount supplied to the laundry treating apparatuses. 